Always Learning Something New

Monday, May 19th, 2014

Hey Everybody! So this week has been one of our best!

We received training on Tuesday in Zone Meeting about planning and how to do it better and the way we needed to do it. So we started to plan better and more effectively. It was amazing how much difference there was when we planned exactly by PMG (Preach My Gospel manual) . We have been having better lessons that are being more led by the Spirit. We are also in better unity when we teach and more focused on the needs of our investigator and members.

Oh and we were told we are still allowed to tract but there is a very specific way we are supposed to do it. It’s basically we pick and hour or so of the day and at the end of Planning we dedicate that time to tracking and tell Heavenly Father that we are going to be on such and such a street at such and such a time. So like for example 2 pm to 3pm on Pennsylvania Street, between 8th and 10th streets. Then when we go we have to be in the area from 2 to 3. Because we don't know if Heavenly Father will put the person that is ready in our path at 2:01 or 2:59. So we've done a bit of that but its kind of hard. Not many people answer the door so I don't have any good tracking stories yet. Hopefully sometime this week.

It has been getting hot out here. I guess it got up to around 100 over the last couple days. It’s not too bad though. We have water and it’s a really,  really dry heat. So it really isn't that bad.

The pictures start with Elder Baer and Elder Renovato just being themselves after planning one night.  Elder Baer is writing in his journal and Elder Renovato is being weird. Just kidding he was just tired we'd had a long day biking.

Then I have a couple from cutting the hair of a kid named Juan. It’s really funny everyone is asking me for haircuts.

Then we have Elder Renovato holding up a bottle of catsup.

 Which I didn't believe that it actually existed.  I mean my dad and people have talked about it but I thought it was some made up thing. I found out that Deseret Industries has its own ketchup called Catsup. Who'd have thunk it?







 This ^ happened while we were at a members house for breakfast on Saturday. It was really, really good!!  So we have some pics of us all at the table. 

This is the new puppy pitbull that the Landin family has. It’s crazy. His name is Rex and he follows me around everywhere. He jumps all over the place and then will randomly just lay down. It’s really funny! But I guess if I ever leave and come back the dog will hopefully remember me and not kill me.

>This is the best thing from the week!!!!<

This last Friday we had an amazing experience with a young man named Ismael, his mother, Johanna, and little brother Gabriel(he is 7). Ismael is 11 and is very interested in the church because one of his uncles that he was very close to passed away recently and the Plan Of Salvation answers all the questions he had. We taught him on Friday and committed him to come to church, read the Book Of Mormon and he has accepted the invitation to be baptized and is preparing for the 7 of June. His mother is also very interested and the only reason she didn't accept the 7th as well is because she has a weird work schedule and can’t come to church every week. But she is fully supportive of Ismael and they came to church yesterday and loved it. And what makes it even better is that they are best friends with one of the wards best families. There are 2 returned missionaries in the family and the mother is a temple worker and they are a huge help. We are super excited for Ismael, Johanna, and Gabriel.

We are so excited I really hope I get to stay another transfer and help them progress!!!!

That's all I got for the week. I hope everyone is having fun and doing good the last little bit of school! 

I know this church is True! I know God is our Loving Heavenly Father and he wants us to be happy!

Talk to you all next week. I'm being cut off! Bye!!!!

Elder Gore

May 12, 2014

May 12, 2014

Well this week we did some service at a less active members house. We helped move a bunch of logs.  I was almost the smallest there but I was picking up logs that everybody else needed help lifting. Then we spread a bunch of dirt over the driveway.

And we had dinner at the Sierra's home. We had chicken with this stuff called mole on it. I don't know how to spell it but you say it like "mole-A" it’s really good. It’s like chocolate but its kind of spicy. It’s weird but really cool.

Spiritual experiences: Well I gave a talk on Sunday about mothers and I related my mom to the mothers of the 2000 Stripling Warriors in Alma 56. And Well I didn't think I did a good job and it felt very choppy and well in my opinion bad everyone said my speaking was clear and fluid which shows me that Heavenly Father helps us to fulfill our callings. He will give us steadiness and help us accomplish all that we need to. I'm grateful for this talk and for the opportunity to serve a mission here in Cali!

I know this church is true and I'm grateful for the chance I have to serve as a missionary and be a Representative of Jesus Christ.

That's all I got! Have a great week everybody!  

Elder Gore

Pictures

May 5, 2014

So to start off with. Elder Renovato and I cleaned that fridge. We got it from a member so we could give it to an investigator who's fridge died like 3 weeks ago. It was nasty inside. I didn't want to take a picture.

 We went on exchanges, this one day this week, I went English and it was really, really weird. We didn't really teach anyone. But I got to drive the truck and the wind was crazy that day.

Then we found a chair in the middle of nowhere and I had to sit in it.

Also the Terminator Car. Crazy!!! Its so cool!!!! 

Then we have Yaretzi. She just turned 4 and she says I am her bestfriend. She's really cute and super funny haha.

Elder Renovato and I had our first whole fishes. As in we pulled the skin and meat off of the bones of that fish and ate it. It was really really weird. I like fish but I realized that like after my mission if I never had more I'd be ok with that haha.

Then we have Elder Gonzalez turning 20 so we went to Tacos and Beer. One of the best restaurants ever!!!! And had a little party for him! Deroche made a cake and it was really really good!!!

We were at Brayans house and he got a gopher in his yard so we took some pictures and then stuck a hose down the hole.

On Saturday we went to lunch with Hermano Glausser. Denny's!!!! Man Pancakes With Cinnimon and Vanilla drizzle. Sooooooooo Goooooood!

That's Lance. He turned 8 about a month ago. He's a boss. Everyone thinks he looks like me. Its probabaly because we are the 2 white kids with brown hair haha

Today we played Soccer with the English Elders and kicked their butts haha. Elder Renovato lent me a jersey to wear while we played. It was a lot of fun!

and that's about all I got!

 Elder Gore

Biking and working

April 28, 2014

This week has been good. We were able to do some service and help a family out with their lawn. The Rodriguez family is the bomb!!!!!  We love them so much. Almost like a second home. A Second mom haha.

 We had exchanges in the district and they went well. I went with Elder Gonzalez to Banning and Elder Baer went to Beaumont with Elder Renovato. I learned a lot and am ready to apply the ideas in how I talk to people on the street.

The Spanish is coming along alright-ish. I feel like I've hit a block so I need to change my routine of how I'm learning and practicing so I can keep improving. I did this thing and made close to 300 flashcards with nouns on them of common stuff. Food, Tools, Animals, Transport and things of that nature and I memorized them all and since then. Like when people talk to me I know what they are saying more than I used to. So I'm excited by that but now I need to do something that isn't flashcards. My brain can only handle so much of that. 

 We taught the Third Lesson (The Gospel Of Christ) to a man named Manuel yesterday. He was really receptive and already believed all that we said. He wants his wife to be there to join in the discussions. So we scheduled our next appointment for when she will be home. We are really excited for them. It’s the first time I've like taught the lessons in a really, really long time. Elder Renovato said I did a good job and that my Spanish was good in fluidity and everything I said we grammatically correct and easily understood. So I'm really happy.

We had a big Survival Expo on Saturday and we went as Manual Labor, it was "Elders move these" and "Elders move those over there"(which is normal and I'm fine with it) However, after the Expo all of the members left and it was just us the 4 Elders and a couple other people cleaning up. We were there from 9:30 in the morning to about 4 in the afternoon. It was fun. Although we wished more people had stayed to help clean.

 Other than that we have just been working hard to bring back the young men and help our less active families come back to church. Which is working. There are a couple people who we no longer have to remind about church and are there on time-ish every Sunday.

The pictures are from before the BasketBall game between the Spanish and the English Elders. They kind of dropped us points and said they won but we just let it go even though we technically tied. But we played for about an hour. I was playing basically blind because my eye turned red so I'm going glasses for a little while. But you know 2 blind baskets is pretty good in my opinion. haha.

That's about it for the week. Averaging like 15 miles every day. I'll work on the math and figure out how far on bikes we've gone so far haha.

Everyone have a great week! I'll talk to you all later!!!

Quidanse!!!!

Elder Zachary Gore 

April 21

It’s been a slow week for us here to. But we are happy and working so I can’t complain.

On Easter I taught the youth during Sunday school - the 14-18 year olds - about learning the difference between Truth and Error and how to know which is which. It was Hard. I don't think I did a good job but my companion said I did. :/

Alright sweet!!!! Oh and I don't have much to say about this week. Not much super exciting happened. I cut Elder Renovato’s hair. I cut Hermano Rodriguez's hair. I cut Elder Baer’s hair today. And we had a bunny cake at the Peralta’s for Easter. Oh, and I taught the 14-18 year old youth in Sunday School. It was scary >.<

But like the sisters are in our area all the time and they are visiting because Hermana S. used to work in our area so she knows all the members.  We are coordinating with them to make sure we are effective and not duplicating work or missing people.

Ummmm. We built a trampoline. That took forever.

Favorite thing I've eaten. It’s all been a lot of American food lately and I don't like it. I just want my tortilla, frijoles, arroz, and carne, and then throw it all together and eat it.

For this week - I'm working on reading the Bible. I read the Book of Mormon in about 4 weeks. So I was like well. What the heck. Why not.

No dreaming in Spanish yet.

Maricela is the girl that took the picture. She is a 16 year old in the branch. She wants to serve a mission and their family invites us over and they try to have something for us to do every week to serve, so it’s nice.

Elder R. burns everything he touches. He knows how to make it. It’s just he burns everything that he cooks on a stove. Or at the very least it’s always smoking. But if its microwave or anything else yeah he can make it and it’s good. I'm going to learn sometime this week how to make hecho en casa tortillas de harina. (home made flour tortillas).

Dinners have been hard lately, because we no longer use a calendar and so like we have to make all our appointments and it’s hard because the most we can do is a day ahead, and in our area that's not enough time for most. The (branch) presidency should be in the process of calling someone to help fill our calendars for us. So we'll see how it goes.

We do zone sports every other week or so. President doesn't want us having tons of contact with the sisters on a regular basis. Just because there are so many now. And it’s just better if nobody has a chance to start forming feelings.

We offer service at everyone’s house, but nobody ever wants us to do anything. And it’s like they don't want us to clean our dishes and they get mad at us if we try to. Latinos are wonderful people. It’s cause we are on bike and they say no because we need a break from working. But then it’s like but we are losing blessings and you are too. But nobody really understands that we really just want to serve and help people.

Mom’s musing on the subject: I am the same way about the dishes etc., but I think you have helped me see another perspective, I need to let them help more! 

It’s true. Because it’s a blessing to them because they are serving and it’s a blessing for you because you don't have to do them. At the very least let them wash their own dishes. Have them come help one day with the house for an hour, or build something. It doesn't have to be big and extravagant. Ask them to come on a Saturday and help weed or trim the bushes or something, paint a wall, move furniture. They need the service. It's in our handbooks. And it's hard to give service to non members sometimes. So the members need an attitude of giving them something to do.

Today, we will:  

Cut hair 

email 

shop at walmart.....

And write some letters. I need to write to some of my mission friends and to Uncle Roger and them. And I'll probably start shipping some stuff home to you (to make transfers easier, not because he is preparing to come home!). I can't keep everything I have. Mostly clothes are going home.

It’s that I don't have space. Cause now I have to fit everything into 2 suit cases and a carry-on. I had like 2 or three other boxes last time I moved and I have a lot of clothes I don't need yet. Like my thick shirts. I'm probably never going to wear them. And I only wear long sleeves to the temple.

We are working with the young men and less active members. We have figured out that the ward at this point really needs our help. Only a certain number of people are willing to take responsibility and initiative and they all have the most important callings. So we are trying to help all the other members get moving. We can't bring more people into the ward if the ward isn't doing anything. My time is up so I have to go Hope you all have a good day and week! Love you! Talk to you later!

Elder Zachary Gore :)

Slow Week

April 14th, 2014

Below is a series of emails sent back and forth. 

Elder Gore: I don't really have much to upload (pictures) or much to say this week. It was a good week but it was kind of slow. So I don't really have a good email. We can just chat if that's ok?

(I think he wasn’t sure what to write about, or was a little down, or tired, I am not really sure....so I asked him a bunch of questions and below are his answers)

Mom: How is the progress going with the young men you are working with?

It’s going. It’s hard because they don't have tons of support or have crazy excommunicated parents who started their own church but I mean other than that….We are slowly getting them back.

That does sound like a challenge!  Change is hard and takes time. 

So have you seen any progress with any of them?  

Yes we have made progress they see us as friends right now at least. We do stuff with them like bike rides and just try to help them trust us so that we can help them come back. So we are making progress.

Did you meet any new investigators this week or teach any good lessons?

Nothing really this week :/

Have you provided any service lately? 

Yeah we moved some people and we cut someone’s lawn. It took 3 hours!

Ugh. The computer didn't extend me today! Naaaaaah! Alright, I have to go now. It was nice to talk to you! You’re the best mom! Tell everyone I say hi!